Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with methods of manufacture and use of GA and related compounds including surfactant compositions in oil recovery.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,273 issued to Abend and Leenders (1977) describes the production of Guerbet alcohols by the condensation of alcohols in the presence of a catalyst and an alkali consisting of utilizing from 0.05 to 3.0 gm per mol of total alcohol of an insoluble lead salt of an oxyacid of a group IV element having a molecular weight greater than 27, such as oxyacids selected from the group consisting of the silicate, the titanate, the zirconate, the germanate and the hafnate, as said catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,119,125 issued to O'Lenick et al. (2006) relates to specific compositions made by the sulfation of alkoxylated crude Guerbet alcohol mixtures that contain between 15% and 50% lower molecular weight alkoxylated alcohols. According to the '125 patent the lower molecular weight alcohols are the raw material alcohols used to make the Guerbet. Sulfated compositions made from this specific bi-modal distribution have unique emulsification properties and experience minimal chromatographic separation when used in downhole applications.
United States Patent Application No. 20080217064 (Stoian and Smith, 2008) discloses a drilling fluid comprising: a non-ionic surfactant including at least one of a branched alcohol ethoxylate and a capped alcohol ethoxylate, a detergent builder and a viscosifier. The non-ionic surfactant includes alkyl polyethylene glycol ethers based on C10-Guerbet alcohol and ethylene oxide.